Interested to run more advanced and tactical initiative system but without added overhead and downtime?
Inspired by Mike Mearls of D&D and board game Gloomhaven mechanics, I have worked a system that well meets those requirements. It's playtested and finetuned on a continuous basis by my own group. The response has been very positive, primarily due to the fact that combat is faster to run.
The prerequisite is a "computer-aided" initiative manager. However, as many gamers have moved online and are using computer as a side product of that, it should not be a big issue.
If your purchase this you also get my spreadsheet example.
I would love to have instead of Excel a solution like Roll20 macros written but that is currently beyond me.
If you find value in this and would actuall...

Adventure Design in Practice is a structured analysis on my upcoming next adventure that will hit the gaming table with my regular group in three days from the time of writing this. It is my personal preparation work in a documented format with designer notes in a classic game master guide style.
I analyze collaborative storytelling and how it can be fused with more linear story design. The importance of proper framing is key to success in this merger of narrative styles. Creating an understanding for you as the game master of the laws of your characters and world in general will unlock any level of improvisation. As in any field of expertise, the application of knowledge is based on understanding.
I've written this for novice and veteran GMs alike, hoping to bring new angles and view...

New version 3.1 is now available with more printer friendly layout!
As a game master, when planning an adventure and writing the characters, I benefit of a template to study various motivations and strategies that characters may use when attempting to get what they want. The template also works as a nice GM screen printout to improvise dialogue between characters - all you need to do is glance at it and your brain should fire up with possibilities.
Page 1-3: general proposal/counter-proposal structure in three NPC dispositions (positive, neutral, negative) Page 4: printable template to record a conversation Page 5: example of template use Page 6: supplemental control - interest map Page 7: example of control - interest map use Page 8: dialogue scene on the control - interest map...

Encounters are the motor of your storytelling. The way they are structured contributes the most to your table top experience.
I've compiled a collection of design principles for encounters using my business consultancy skillset. It's been refeshing to deploy those practices to role playing domain and I feel it has given me a new angle to the subject in general.
Key highlights and learning include:
Using goal and obstacle chaining to create structured narrative
Pitting protagonist and antagonist against each other in a structed manner
Modelling hazards and aides as part of obstacle design
Testing various encounter types (social, combat, exploration) against different obstacles
Mixing encounter types together
Creating epic encounters that have multiple interconnected sub-encount...

Second title in my elegant design series focuses on combat iniatiative system options and turn order structure in general. If you have interest to see how your current initiative system could be spiced up with some additions or even replaced completely with a one more fitting to your play style, you should find this an interesting read.
Many of the systems and mechanisms are in use in various RPGs but equally many are my own creations or variants.
Topic covered in more specific:
Different of deterministic and random turn order
Control of focus
Two variants of action-based initiative order
Queue systems in turn order
Group-based turns
Alternating turn order between opposing groups
Resource use in turn order modification
Engagement-pull system to create more "life-like" c...

I was inspired by reading news articles and the themes our society is dealing with today like planned parenthood, gun control, animal rights etc. and considered they would make nice pastiches if adopted to RPG plots.
Please note I've written all of the plot examples for D&D-like fantasy settings.
Examples:
Animal rights: A local ruler organizes brutal gladiatorial fights in which scores of wild animals are killed. The spirits of the forest want vengeance.
Refugees: A famous bard is seeking refuge. He is persecuted in his home country as he made slanderous tunes about the local ruler.
Social inequality: All of the healers work only for the wealthy and poor are left to die in the gutter. There are a few healers wanting to help everyone in need but they are being threatene...

Preparing Scenes explores my method of preparation and planning as a game master. It is a very concrete description of how I plan my games. I've come to value scene-centric preparation with not only avoiding traditional risks of railroading but actually further maximizing flexibility and ability to improvise....

Do you want to write better role playing game story plots? Don't have much time but would like to have engaging storylines for your players to explore?
Key highlights:
Harness your full personal capability using keyword association
Write fast - as quickly as in 10-15 minutes from scratch to gaming table
Be more varied than ever - avoid cliched anti-climatic story arcs
How to run a good gripping story in a seemingly sandboxed setting
The simple secret of layered plots that are the power behind epics of Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings
Character-driven plot design without getting too character-centric
May your adventures be full of drama and consequence....

Back in the old day, role playing systems suggested to describe a character using eye color, hair color, personality etc. I remember myself rolling for height and weight of a character with very little purpose to the actual gameplay.
Later came systems like FATE, Dungeon World and Hillfolk that introduced traits, bonds and character relationships as core mechanics of the game.
I'm a big admirer of Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi and their work on character attributes. Their thesaurus of both positive and negative traits is an invaluable resource. http://writershelpingwriters.net/
All the above inspired me to create my own character template that focuses on wounds (read more of Ackerman-Puglisi to understand this concept), traits, wants and needs. I wanted to make them ac...

Total value:

$7.20

Special bundle price:

$2.50

Savings of:

$4.70 (65%)

Please leave a review, written preferrably. I'm always interested in feedback and willing to explore points you think I should elaborate.

All my titles feature full document as quick preview. Please take a look!

LOL. I bought all of his products roughly 24 hours before he released a bundle and I was thinking as I was buying them, "why doesn't he have a bundle?" Solid products, and glad to see he finally bundled them up. Good stuff!

I'd value the bundle at about $5. I assume Mr Saari isn't a native English speaker. His products contain many odd sentences, grammar mistakes, spelling errors, etc. The page count of the documents aren't a good benchmark; many pages appea [...]

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